[duncan_idaho]

Things Missouri must do to win:

1) Continue to win up front on defense. The Missouri defensive line has been excellent against Georgia and Vanderbilt. It must continue to play at a high level and prevent Florida from grinding it out and controlling the clock.

The D has been most vulnerable of late to designed runs out of spread formation, vs. a nickel look. To combat this, Missouri might run base (4-3) sets against 3- and 4- WRs on early (non-passing) downs.

The defensive ends, Michael Sam/Shane Ray and Kony Ealy/Markus Golden, are possibly the best group in the SEC. And that's according to sources outside Missouri (including Georgia analysts).

2) Force Florida to play in-between with its safeties. Florida's secondary is good enough that if the safeties can play deep, Missouri's passing game will have little to no traction. Missouri must run the ball effectively when Florida's safeties are playing deep. If the safeties play up to help against the run, the Tigers must hit some throws downfield to force them out of the box.

3) Avoid turnovers deep in own territory. Mauk is probably going to throw a few interceptions. Missouri can't afford those turnovers to convert automatically to points. A pick is fine... as long as it isn't returned for a TD, or set Florida up in automatic FG range.

4) Use misdirection and get vertical. Missouri's offense in the past has been guilty of playing too horizontal against Ds with the kind of speed Florida brings to the table. The Tigers LIKELY find more room on bubble screens thanks to the double pass TD by Sasser, but they can't be a staple.

Missouri needs to attack the middle of the field, as well as intermediate areas, to move the ball.